The Role of Inflammation in the Early Radiation Response

Radiation is one of the principal treatments for adults and children with brain tumors, and is one of the oldest established treatments for tumors of all types. Currently, the limiting factor for the use of radiation is the effect on normal tissue adjacent to the tumor. Toxicity, including early and late effects from radiation, limits the dose administered to the tumor and reduces the probability of cure. This work has three aims in its attempt to understand and limit early radiation damage: characterize the role of the inflammatory molecules tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the radiation response; evaluate the role of a novel anti-inflammatory agent as an interventional therapy to limit the radiation-induced inflammatory response; begin to characterize the acute damage following radiation using the shift in the gene expression. Fluorescence intravital microscopy and a mouse cranial window model were used to quantitatively measure: permeability of the blood-brain barrier, leukocyte adhesion, and changes in vessel diameter following a single dose of 20-Gy localized cranial irradiation. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining were used to evaluate the number of activated astrocytes and the protein expression of TNF and ICAM-1. Antibodies to TNF and ICAM-1 were administered to investigate their role in the early radiation response. In addition, a novel anti-inflammatory agent, KZ-41, which is thought to work through NF-κB was evaluated as a non-specific inhibitor to the early radiation response. Microarray analysis was used to characterize the molecular shift that occurs in the brain at 2-hrs after 20-Gy radiation. Our results show that the inflammatory molecules TNF and ICAM-1 are involved in the early radiation response. Radiation induces an increase in permeability of the BBB and in the number of adhering leukocytes at 24- and 48-hrs post-irradiation. It also causes a decrease in the average diameter of arterioles at 48-hrs post-irradiation. Immunohistochemistry showed a significant increase in the number of activated astrocytes at 24-and 48-hrs post-irradiation, while immunofluorescence verified the expression of TNF and ICAM-1 protein following radiation. When TNF expression was inhibited via specific antibodies, all of the radiation-induced effects were abrogated. When ICAM-1 was inhibited via specific antibodies, most of the radiation-induced effects were abrogated. Treatment with ICAM-1 mAb in conjunction with radiation, completely inhibited the radiation-induced vascular effects (BBB permeability, leukocyte adhesion, and arteriole diameter changes), but did not inhibit activated astrocytes, however it did significantly reduce them compared to radiation alone. KZ-41 was evaluated as a potential agent for interventional therapy aimed at reducing the radiation-induced inflammatory response. Using our radiation model, KZ-41 was found to protect the vasculature in a manner similar to the specific antibodies to TNF or ICAM-1, but was unable to prevent the radiation-induced astrocytic response. Permeability of the BBB and leukocyte adhesion was inhibited, while there was no observed change in arteriole diameter at any time point. Immunofluorescence showed that treatment with KZ-41 limited the radiation-induced expression of ICAM-1 protein, but did not alter the expression of TNF protein. In addition, the number of activated astrocytes, following treatment with KZ-41, was significantly higher than in radiation only animals. Microarray analysis was used to investigate the shift in the genetic profile of the brain following radiation. It was seen that, 2-hrs following irradiation, there is: a paracrine response exists that is primarily initiated by chemotactic cytokines through the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway; vascular andparenchymal damage whose response can be distinguished when gene function is considered; and an alteration in genes known to be related to neurological/neurodegenerative diseases. Our overall aim is to elucidate the role of inflammation in the acute radiation response and its effects on the microvasculature of the brain. Understanding this role will allow for the development of treatment strategies to limit the acute radiation damage which we believe will lead to a reduction in the long-term side effects of radiation

Senior Recital: Danielle Hearn, flute

Kennesaw State University School of Music presents Senior Recital: Danielle Hearn, flute. This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Music Performance.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1754/thumbnail.jp

Teaching Problem Solving In Mathematics: Cognitively Guided Instruction In Kindergarten

The study explores the effects of mathematical conversations, using Cognitively Guided Instruction practices (CGI), on the problem solving ability and academic language usage of kindergarten students. Four treatment groups of students were followed over a ten week period. Students were grouped by the number of minutes that they participated in mathematical conversations per week. Students in the group that had the most minutes per week of mathematical conversations grew by the greatest amount in both problem solving and academic language capacity. Students in the control group regressed in both problem solving and academic language. Students in the group the met once a week for 30 minutes out performed the control group. The findings suggest that daily exposure to mathematical conversations guided by CGI practices could be a productive approach to developing both problem solving and academic language ability

Capstone Recital: Tunrade Schumann, flute

This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree Bachelor of Arts in Music. Ms. Schumann is a student of Robert Cronin.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1608/thumbnail.jp

Junior Recital: Cole McDonald, horn

Kennesaw State University School of Music presents a Junior Recital: Cole McDonald, horn.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1759/thumbnail.jp

Advancing Science Education and Development through Gamified Mobile App for Junior High School Physics Learning

Pesatnya pertumbuhan industri game membawa dampak pada segala bidang, salah satunya pada bidang pendidikan. Dalam dunia pendidikan, gamifikasi memberikan manfaat sebagai alat yang dapat memotivasi siswa. Gamifikasi menawarkan mata pelajaran yang kompleks seperti fisika sebagai pengalaman belajar yang interaktif dan menyenangkan. Kesalahpahaman sering terjadi dalam pendidikan fisika sehingga berdampak baik bagi siswa maupun guru. Metode pengajaran tradisional dapat menimbulkan kesalahpahaman sehingga menurunkan minat belajar siswa. Pada penelitian ini, Gamifikasi bertujuan untuk mengatasi tantangan tersebut dengan meningkatkan minat siswa dalam mempelajari mata pelajaran fisika. Kebaruan pada penelitian ini terletak pada penggunaan aplikasi pembelajaran berbasis gamifikasi dengan menggunakan unsur badge, level, ranking, dan rewards. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dari hasil pre-test dan post-test sebanyak 40 siswa. Data tersebut kemudian diolah menggunakan metode N-Gain untuk mengetahui perbedaan hasil belajar menggunakan aplikasi gamifikasi dan pembelajaran tradisional. Hasil uji N-Gain menunjukkan pembelajaran gamifikasi memperoleh skor 40,59, sedangkan pembelajaran tradisional memperoleh skor 23,64. Dari perbandingan N-Gain yang ada dapat dibuktikan bahwa pembelajaran Gamifikasi efektif dalam mendorong keterlibatan dan pemahaman siswa dalam pendidikan fisika

Junior Recital: Megan Deason, violoncello

Kennesaw State University presents Junior Recital: Megan Deason, violoncello. This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Bachelor of Music in Music Performance.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1748/thumbnail.jp

Long-term changes in food availability mediate the effects of temperature on growth, development and survival in striped marsh frog larvae: implications for captive breeding programmes

Food availability and temperature are known to trigger phenotypic change, but the interactive effects between these factors are only beginning to be considered. The aim of this study was to examine the independent and interactive effects of long-term stochastic food availability and water temperature on larval survivorship, growth and development of the striped marsh frog, Limnodynastes peronii. Larval L. peronii were reared in conditions of either constant or stochastic food availability and in water at three different temperatures (18, 22 and 26°C), and effects on survival, growth and development were quantified. Over the experimental period, larval growth rate was highest and survivorship lowest at the warmest temperature. However, changes in food availability mediated the effects of temperature, with slower larval growth and higher survivorship in stochastic food availability treatments. Tadpoles in the stochastic food availability treatments did not reach metamorphosis during the experimental period, suggesting that developmental stasis may have been induced by food restriction. Overall, these results demonstrate that changes in food availability alter the effects of water temperature on survival, growth and development. From an applied perspective, understanding how environmental factors interact to cause phenotypic change may assist with amphibian conservation by improving the number of tadpoles generated in captive breeding programmes

Racial Differences Among LGBT Adults in the US: LGBT Well-Being at the Intersection of Race

This final report in the series, LGBT Well-Being at the Intersection of Race, uses data from the 2012-2017 Gallup Survey and the Generations/Transpop studies to assess whether LGBT people of color (POC) differ from White LGBT people on several areas of health and socioeconomic well-being. We find that more LGBT people of color report economic instability compared to White LGBT people on many indicators. Additionally, disparities for POC LGBT adults persist in the health domain, except for measures of depression where more White LGBT adults report having depression compared with POC LGBT adults. Further, more women of color who identify as LGBT reported living in a low-income household, and experiencing unemployment and food insecurity compared to all other groups. We also found differences in outcomes among LGBT POC on some economic and health indicators. Overall, the series of papers demonstrate that the relationship between race and LGBT status is a complicated one that differs by outcome and racialized group. Regardless of these complexities, the data point to the need for social and policy interventions that address economic and health disparities along racial, gender and LGBT statuses, separately and at their intersection

Rancho Santa Fe Foundation (RSFF) Plan-to-Plan Report

Over the past two months, a USD project team conducted extensive research to inform the strategic planning process of the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation (RSFF). The team identified three key questions that will be important for the RSFF to address as it positions itself for growth. Those questions are: 1) What is the identity of the RSFF, both internally and externally; 2) How should the RSFF define community; and 3) How should the RSFF define growth?https://digital.sandiego.edu/npi-bpl-strategicplanning/1000/thumbnail.jp